


SIMPLY THE SOUNDTRACK TO THEIR STORY

by lizzybennettdarcy



Category: Glee
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-15
Updated: 2015-08-15
Packaged: 2018-04-14 21:59:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4581675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lizzybennettdarcy/pseuds/lizzybennettdarcy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was a warm, summer night when Rachel Berry heard the first single of Noah Puckerman's debut album. Canon-mostly, will veer to AU if I continue. Full credit to the genius that is Ben Rector for providing me with an actual soundtrack for their story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. SUMMER CANDY

It was a cool, summer night when Rachel heard the first single from Noah Puckerman's debut album. The final weeks of rehearsals for Funny Girl had been long and stressful, and for the umpteenth time she found herself leaving the theatre much later than she'd planned. She waved a tired hand to the janitor before stepping out into the New York night. She glanced down at the phone in her hand and realised that her roommates would have already finished eating by now. She tapped her foot distractedly as she tried to decide on what to eat for dinner. The soft aroma of the Italian restaurant around the corner hit her nose and she nodded her head. She turned and walked towards Bella's. The bell above the door tinkled as she entered the restaurant. She grabbed a takeout menu from the counter and took her time choosing her meal. The music was light and pleasant, and upon closer perusal she realised the little restaurant was nearly empty. A young couple was on what appeared to be their first date and Rachel impulsively decided to dine in. She handed the menu back to the hostess and asked for a table.

The hostess sat her quickly at a tiny, little table by the window. Rachel sighed contentedly as she regarded the passersby through the window. She'd been here for a year now and the novelty had yet to wear off. Life had not always been easy, the loss of Finn had been almost unbearable at the time but she found herself smiling again. The play was everything she'd dreamed of and the closer they got to opening night, the more excited she got.

Her server was a charming young man who flirted with her as he took her order. She smiled as he left and watched the young couple. The boy was probably seventeen and his date was likely sixteen. Their blushing faces and nervous laughter reminded her of the first date she'd ever been on. It was possibly the only time she'd ever seen Noah Puckerman nervous.

" _I've never actually done this before." He admitted, scrubbing the back of his neck with the hand that wasn't wrapped around her own._

_Rachel glanced around the tiny Greek restaurant and smiled back at him. "This is lovely, Noah."_

"Miss?"

Rachel blinked away the memory and smiled apologetically at her server. He placed her meal in front of her and walked away after making sure she was taken care of. She took a bite of the chicken salad she'd ordered and was happy with the choice. She no longer felt upset about her decision to give up her vegan diet. Upon becoming a university student and juggling school, extra classes and work, she'd realised that her vegan lifestyle was too difficult and impossible to keep.

Her fingers began tapping the table along to the catchy beat of the song playing softly through the speaker above her. She almost choked on her salad when a smooth, familiar male voice began crooning the light lyrics that accompanied the fun music.

 **Because I've got to keep on moving**  
Yes, I've got to get somewhere  
Love, you know just where this is going  
Yes, you know that

She couldn't help the grin that spread wide across her face as she listened to the song. She'd had no idea he was recording. She'd heard a few of his songs during high school and even performed one of them during junior year at Nationals.

 **Your lips are summer candy**  
Summer candy  
Your lips are summer candy  
You're my summer candy

It had been a few months since she'd last spoken to him. The day of the McKinley memorial for Finn was the last time she'd seen him. They'd both been so upset and hadn't said much to anyone.  
****  
Windows down  
I want to feel the beat  
Just turn this up  
'Til I feel the speakers bleed

_Rachel walked forward until she hit his firm chest. Her arms snuck around his middle even as his own wrapped around her shoulders. Her tears flowed freely, staining his white shirt. She felt the stubble of his cheek against her hair before his tears began to land in her dark tresses. No words were spoken as they simply held each other and mourned the person they both loved dearly. Minutes melted into hours and when they finally broke apart it was no longer day. His warm hand reached out and wiped the tears from his cheeks and her fingers did the same for him. Her small hand reached for his and they walked from the choir room together, hand in hand. He led her out to his truck and opened the passenger door for her, lifting her slightly onto the high seat and closed the door. Moments later he was in the truck with her and they were pulling away from the school._

_Her eyes closed as they drove and she worried not about their destination. He was the only person who hadn't done or said the wrong thing since Finn had died and she seemed to be that person for him as well. The truck pulled to a stop and Rachel opened her eyes and looked out the windshield. They were parked in front of the lake outside town. She'd never been here before but she'd heard Finn mention it once as being "their place". The fact that Noah had brought her here, to the place he'd only ever shared with Finn was not lost on her. Tears streamed once again and she felt herself being pulled across the seat and into his lap. He tucked her head under his chin and held her as they cried._

_The tears eventually stopped and they simply sat there together as the sun rose. She was sure her fathers would be worried that she hadn't come home but she didn't reach for her phone._

_Later he pulled his truck to a stop against the curb in front of her fathers' house. He jumped out and walked around to her side, opening the door and helping her out of the truck. His fingers tangled with hers as he walked her up the driveway and to the door. His hand slipped from hers and he turned to stand in front of her. Noah's hazel eyes were sad but dry as he placed his hands on either side of her face. Her eyes fought to close as he brushed his thumbs over the bruises under her bottom lashes. His mouth quirked to the side in the smallest half-smile he could muster. No words were spoken as his eyes assured her in every way that no one's words ever could. Her eyes closed as his lips pressed a kiss to her forehead. Then he was gone. She opened her eyes and raised a hand in goodbye as he pulled his truck away from the curb and drove away._

**Because I've got to keep on moving**  
Yes, I've got to get somewhere  
Love, you know just where this is going  
Yes, you know that

She couldn't believe how fun the song was. She was sure that others would expect a dark song full of angst after everything that had happened in the last year but the more she listened the more it made sense.  ****  
  
**Your lips are summer candy**  
Summer candy  
Your lips are summer candy  
You're my summer candy

She was sure that his album would contain some of those songs because Noah had always written with his heart and she knew that his heart was broken. No words had passed between them that night because there weren't any words for the depth of their hurt. She'd planned on forever with Finn and Noah had done the same. Her love for Finn was different than Noah's but no one had ever loved Finn more than the two of them had.

 **Lips so soft and sweet**  
Feel the summer heat  
Drop all I am demanding  
No matter where you are  
Whether near or far  
You are my summer candy

She wondered when he'd written this song. And who the inspiration had been. She was happy that he'd chosen this song to release. Finn would want for him to be happy, the same way he'd want her following her dreams.

 **Summer candy**  
Your lips are summer candy  
You're my summer candy

As she sat in Bella's listening to the song her friend had written, she was overwhelmed with the greatest sense of pride. He'd done it. He'd made something of himself, the way he'd sworn he could. The way she'd always believed he would.

 **Your lips are summer candy**  
Summer candy  
Your lips are summer candy  
You're my summer candy

She finished her meal, scanning through her phone as she did so. She was disappointed to learn that his album wasn't due to be released for several months. Paying her tab, she placed her ear-buds in her ears. As she walked home in the city she loved the most, she hummed along to the first Noah Puckerman single she'd ever buy, "Summer Candy."

 

 


	2. MAKING MONEY

Rachel was sitting on the floor of a cast mate's living room when she heard Noah Puckerman's second single. The summer weather had faded and Rachel had packed away her shorts with a sigh the day before. The summer had been filled with laughter and music, especially after Blaine and Sam moved into the loft with them.

"I'm auditioning around," Her friend Amy announced from her place on the couch behind Rachel. "With all of the uncertainty, I think it's probably best to hedge my bets."

Rachel briefly considered choir room theatrics before sighing and nodding. She couldn't blame her cast mate for doubting Funny Girl. The opening night had been pushed back three times now and they'd switched theatres twice. It was starting to look like maybe her dream role wasn't going to happen.

"I know what you mean. I just can't afford to hope things will work out. They pay us next to nothing right now." Chimed Stewart, one of the supporting actors.

Rachel sipped at the beer she'd been handed and ran a hand through her hair. Money had been tight during rehearsals and she was just barely helping make ends meet. Sam and Blaine moving in had certainly helped with expenses but she was definitely beginning to understand the term "Starving artist".

She tuned in and out of the conversation around her as she considered the offer she'd been made this morning. She'd just stepped out to the lobby of the theatre for a break when she'd been introduced to an influential Broadway director. She'd never been a fan of his work but she'd listened as he'd offered her a supporting part in his new musical. He'd handed her a card and told her to think about it. He left but not before telling her how large her salary would be.

"Wouldn't it be nice to be like Paolo and Rupert? They can afford to be dicking around." Amy whined.

Rachel hadn't thought about the offer until now. She'd placed the card in her purse and gone back to practice. Practice hadn't gone very smoothly, an air of impatience and tension invading as the cast went through a play they'd perfected long ago. Rupert had ended practice early after announcing that it looked like opening night might be rescheduled yet again. This news was the reason that Rachel was now sitting on the floor, half-drunk with several cast mates.

Her fingers slipped into her purse and closed around the business card. The play itself sounded pretty lame. She'd be mainly in the background singing about beaches and California. Images of her dancing around in a bikini, holding a beach ball caused her to visibly shudder. Could she really afford to turn him down though? If Funny Girl went nowhere, she'd be broke and full of regret.

"Turn on some music will you?" Amy crowed and one of the chorus members complied.

A light piano intro filled the room and Rachel felt her eyes close. She had no idea what to do.

**Making money, it isn't easy  
And it sure won't make you happy**

Rachel's eyes popped open as she recognized the voice of the singer.

"Turn it up!" She snapped.

**So I think it's funny  
We're so concerned with making money**

It seemed that he had finally released his second single. She tuned out all conversation this time as she listened to the song floating through the apartment.

**And money won't keep folks from grieving  
And it won't stop love from leaving**

A smile graced her lips as she realized what he was singing about.

**So here's my two cents  
What's the use in making money**

"Cool song."

"Oh! I think this is that really dreamy Puckerman guy!" Amy squealed.

 **And I know that life ain't cheap**  
And not all good things are free  
But there is no enough and no too much

Rachel wiped at her wet eyes as her friends commented on Noah Puckerman and his music. He had always had perfect timing.

 **and it seems so strange to me**  
I just think it's funny  
We're so concerned with making money

A memory pulled her from the present as she hummed along.

_She brushed at the tears streaming down her cheeks. Her watery brown eyes stared across the field at the place where the football game had been played just an hour before. Finn hadn't acknowledged her as she cheered on the team. She'd thought that the two of them would be together after the truth about Quinn and Noah came out. Things had gone well for a few days before he became distant. She shouldn't have been surprised when he broke up with her in the hallway to date the two Cheerios. She sniffled and bit her lip against the cold._

" _What are you still doing here Berry?"_

_Rachel looked up to see Noah Puckerman looking down at her with what might have been concern. He'd climbed the bleachers and she'd been too distracted to hear him. She stared up at him and he stared right back. Whatever he saw seemed to distress him. He mumbled something under his breath before shuffling up to her and dropping to sit next to her. Her eyes moved over the man in front of her and she wondered when he'd stopped being a boy. He'd been a boy when she'd kissed him, and he'd been a boy when she'd cleaned slushie from his hair. Her head quirked to the side when she realized that he'd been a man since he'd chosen Glee over football. He'd decided to put his priorities in order, to be a good father and friend. Her thoughts were further reinforced when he placed his letterman jacket around her shoulders._

" _It's cold, Berry. You realize its January and you're wearing one of your little skirts?" He reminded her with a shrug when she raised an eyebrow._

" _Thank you." She replied simply._

_He bit his lip before lifting his hand and wiping the tears from her cheeks. She hadn't realized they were still falling._

" _You're wasting your time here." He said after turning away from her questioning gaze._

 **I make my living singing love songs**  
That I made up 'cause I love songs  
But folks believe them  
So I'm receiving paper money

_Outrage filled her at the insinuation that Finn wasn't worth her efforts. Granted he hadn't treated her very nicely lately but someday he would, she just knew it._

" _Finn is lovely and-"_

" _Finn is a kid, Berry."_

_Rachel's mouth opened to snap that he was a kid too but it didn't feel true so she let him continue uninterrupted._

" _This is the guy who thought he'd made a baby in a hot tub. He's my bro, but he's not ready for this yet." He blew out a long breath. "That's not what I meant anyway."_

_Rachel pulled his jacket around herself more tightly and felt a wave of confusion when Noah's eyes glazed over as he watched the action. He closed his eyes and shook his head before continuing._

" _You're too big for this town and you're wasting your time crying out on the bleachers for a high school boyfriend. You've been telling everyone who'd listen and even everyone who wouldn't, that you'll be famous someday."_

 **Don't get me wrong, I love my lady**  
And I probably wouldn't trade her  
But life's no better with debts or debtors making money

_Rachel nodded, amazed at the compliments and sentiments being expressed by the man who sat closely beside her._

" _Do you remember the first day I slushied you?" He asked, even as a flash of regret showed in his eyes. "You said that you were going to play Fanny Brice someday and that no matter what I did, you'd make it."_

_Rachel's mouth curled into a surprised smile. "You remember that?"_

_He shot her a look, "I'm a Jew, Berry. Don't think I haven't seen Funny Girl."_

**And I know that life ain't cheap**  
**And not all good things are free**  
**But there is no enough and no too much**

_Rachel threw her head back and laughed. A genuine smile graced Noah's lips and she was momentarily stunned at the beauty of him. She wasn't sure when they'd become friends, but she supposed that despite his words after their breakup, he'd had her back ever since. His warm fingers wrapped around her cold ones and he pulled her to her feet._

" _Come on, I think I might even have a copy laying around." He told her with a grin._

 **And it seems so strange to me**  
I just think it's funny  
We're so concerned with making money

_Later that night as the credits rolled he whispered, "I think you'd make a great Fanny, Rach."_

_She lifted her head from his shoulder and gave him the most dazzling smile._

**Everybody's got their reasons**  
**Finer wines or fairer seasons**  
**If we're truthful, we know we're fools for making money**

"Hey Rachel, would you consider trying out for another play?"

Rachel was shaken from her musings. She realized that the song was over and the people in the room were staring at her. Her fingers crumbled the card and she smiled brightly.

"Not a chance. I've been waiting for this role my whole life." She stood quickly, "Too many people believe in me to give up now."

"Where are you going?" A friend shouted after her as she headed for the door.

She didn't answer as she dropped the ruined card in the garbage. Her fingers pulled her phone from her purse as she opened and closed the door behind her.

She clicked on a familiar contact and texted him one word.

His reply came before she'd made it home.

_I could spend forever guessing just what you're thanking me for. But we both know I'd do just about anything for you Fanny. So you're welcome?_

A laugh escaped her lips as she stepped into her building. She was Fanny. Selling out was not an option.

**What's the use in making money**

 


	3. WHEN A HEART BREAKS

Rachel was out shopping for Christmas presents when she first heard Noah Puckerman's latest single. Her fathers had decided to spend Hanukah with Hiram's brother in Kentucky and she had chosen to stay home this year. Blaine and Sam had been in Lima for a week already. Santana and Kurt had left the day before with promises to do a gift exchange when they returned before New Year's Eve. None of them had mentioned how hard this Christmas would be, as it was the first without Finn. Finn, who loved Christmas above all things except his family, Rachel and Glee club.

She was looking at a beautiful leather jacket for Santana when his voice filled the chic boutique.

 **I woke up this morning**  
And I heard the news  
I know the pain of a heartbreak

Her fingers clutched the jacket, which she then threw on the sales counter as the words hit her hard. She knew what this song was about, even knew why he'd released it at Christmas.

 **I don't have answers**  
And neither do you  
I know the pain of a heartbreak

It was with numb fingers that she handed her credit card to the cashier and signed the receipt. The woman's seasonal greeting rung in her ears as she hurried out of the shop. She found herself blindly rushing home, paying not nearly enough attention. She stepped out into the road and spun around in fright as a horn blared and a taxi swerved past her.

Rachel took a deep breath, raising a hand in apology. Her steps were a little slower and her vision a little clearer as she headed home. Her keys were in her hand as she reached her loft and she let herself in quickly. Throwing her purchases on the couch she made a beeline for her room and grabbed her laptop. Settling herself on the bed, she opened a search window and typed in Noah's name. Her eyebrows raised slightly when she saw all of the fan pages dedicated to her friend. Her fingers twitched towards the mouse button before shaking her head and clicking on the link for his new song. As the slower melody filled the room Rachel pulled her knees up to her chest and closed her eyes.

**This isn't easy  
This isn't clear**

She could hear an anguish in his voice that resonated to her very core. She missed Finn so terribly some days and the phone call she received that night was one she'd never forget.

 _She was standing on stage belting out "Don't Rain on My Parade" when a cell phone in the audience went off. She did her very best to ignore the trilling but she botched her favorite note which_ never _happened. She lost focus and began scanning the audience for the perpetrator. The theatre was empty and the ringtone sounded oddly familiar…_

_Rachel jerked awake and her hand fumbled towards her bedside table for her phone. She pulled the phone to her ear without glancing at the caller id and mumbled a sleepy greeting._

**And you don't need Jesus  
Til you're here**

_She wondered later why she hadn't heard the sobbing in Kurt's room until it was too late._

**Then confusion and the doubts you had**  
Up and walk away  
They walk away  
When a heart breaks

" _Hello?" She mumbled again when there was no answer._

_A muffled sob rang in her ear and she was sitting with wide eyes as she recognized the timbre of it._

" _Noah? Noah are you okay? Noah what's happened?" She begged the man who had yet to say a word._

" _Rach, I- shit I just-" He began before another sob escaped his throat._

 **I heard the doctor**  
But what did he say  
I knew I was fine about this time yesterday

_She was on her feet and pacing a hole in the rug. Her free hand ran through her hair as she listened to her friend cry. He'd called her upset before but never like this, never like his life had ended, like someone had died-_

" _Noah!" Hysteria had found its way into her voice as her last thought shook her. "Tell me what's happened! Please!"_

 **I don't need answers**  
I just need some peace  
I just need someone who could help me get some sleep  
Who could help me get some sleep

" _He's gone." The words were quiet and filled with so much pain that Rachel didn't doubt for a moment who he meant. "I found him, I couldn't- damn it. I just couldn't save him."_

_Her legs gave out and her knees hit the carpet._

**This isn't easy**  
This isn't clear  
And you don't need Jesus  
Til you're here

" _Finn?" The question ripped through her body and out of her mouth despite her unwillingness to hear his answer._

_His sobs caused her to double over. He choked out an affirmative noise and her body folded in on itself. No more words were said as the two of them cried together._

**Then confusion and the doubts you had**  
**Up and walk away**  
**They walk away**

_She was still in the fetal position, her cries a duet with his, when Santana and Kurt found her the next morning._

**When a heart breaks  
When a heart breaks**

Tears were streaming down her face once more as she shook off the memory. That night had been the very worst she'd ever faced. She shouldn't be surprised that Noah had found words and melody to express everything the two of them had felt in those moments and all of the moments since.

**When a heart breaks  
Oh, when a heart breaks**

She wondered how many takes he'd needed to get through recording the song. The barely contained agony was present in every word he sang but it made it better, it made him better.

 **This isn't easy**  
**This isn't clear**  
**And you don't need Jesus**

She smiled despite her tears at the mention of Jesus. They were both Jewish, but he'd thrown in the honorable mention for Finn. She could have sworn he'd sang the word "Cheezus" earlier in the song.

**Til you're here**

She suddenly missed Noah in a way she couldn't explain. Her fingers were dialing his number before her mind decided to make the call.

**Then confusion and the doubts you had  
Up and walk away**

The call rang through to voicemail and she hung up without leaving a message. She impatiently pressed redial as the song slowly came to an end.

**They walk away  
When a heart breaks**

Reaching voicemail once more, she threw her phone on the bed and closed the laptop. She hummed the song to herself as she changed out of her work clothes and into leggings and an old sweater. Singing the lyrics softly she headed into the kitchen to find something for dinner. She'd just decided on pasta when a knock on the door echoed through the loft. She pattered toward it, pulling at the edges of her sweater to cover the skin above her leggings. She was humming again by the time she threw open the large loft door.

A gasp escaped her lips when she saw Noah Puckerman standing in the hallway with a duffel bag at his feet. His face was tired but his eyes and lips were smiling. A sound that was half sob, half laugh ripped from her throat as she threw herself into his waiting arms. Her fingers gripped his shoulder blades and he buried his face in her hair.

"I just called you," She mumbled into his chest.

A chuckle vibrated in his chest, under her cheek. "And here I am."

She pulled back and smiled up at him with wet eyes. She took his hand and pulled him and his bag into the loft. Dropping his duffel onto the couch with her shopping bags, she pulled him into the kitchen.

"What are you doing here Noah?" She asked as she diced some chicken.

He smiled, rolling up his sleeves and began chopping vegetables for the sauce. "I released a song today and I meant to tell you about it, but then it got away from me. My manager called today and told me it was being leaked a few days early and I found myself on a plane to New York." He paused as her hands stilled on the knife. "You've heard it already." It was a statement, not a question.

His warm hand cupped her cheek and turned her face towards his. His thumb stroked down her cheek and his eyes followed the movement. "I thought you'd been crying. I'm sorry, I should have-"

She shook her head and he dropped his hand. "You don't have to apologize, Noah. All of your music so far has been great but this song was beautiful." Her gaze dropped to the floor as both of their eyes filled with tears. "Thank you for writing it."

He pulled her into his chest and held her tightly as they both blinked away their tears.

"How long are you here for, Noah?" She mumbled into his chest

She closed her eyes as she felt his lips touch her hair. "A while."

**When a heart breaks**


	4. AULD LANG SYNE

The holidays passed in the quiet sort of comfort that she'd long ago begun to associate with Noah Puckerman. If you asked anyone else, they'd likely describe Puck as being loud and obnoxious. Larger than life perhaps. But he'd never been Puck with Rachel. And more than anything else, it was those quiet wordless exchanges that characterized their relationship. Rachel had always been able to just  _be_ when she was in Noah's presence. There was no need to be defensive, nothing to prove. She'd lost track of the times that the two of them had simply sat together in silence during high school. And she knew without asking, because they never really  _needed_ to talk about such things, that he got more of the same from her. Noah could be himself, no macho bravado or simplistic bullshit.

The day after Noah had arrived, Rachel had bundled up in all of her winter clothes and the two of them had set out to buy a Christmas tree. It went without saying that both of them were Jewish, but it was the first Christmas without Finn. They were spending it together and they both felt closer to Finn when surrounded by the trappings of his favorite holiday.

" _You know, I'll never forget picking you up at that lot outside of town all those years ago." Noah mused as they selected a tree. He didn't need to explain his rather vague statement. Rachel remembered too._

_Rachel didn't reply until they'd taken a cab home with the tree strapped to the roof of the car. Noah had just carried the tree into the loft and placed it in the tree holder when Rachel finally answered._

" _Sometimes I forget how human he was." She whispered hesitantly._

_Since his death, Finn had been regarded with near Saint-like reverence. Noah sat on the couch and patted the spot beside him. Rachel dropped down beside him and leaned her head on his shoulder. His arm wrapped around her small frame and his cheek pressed atop her head._

" _I don't." He breathed, tone brutally honest. "I feel guilty about it sometimes."_

_A sad small played across her lips. "The two of you had a very difficult relationship, Noah. You never really looked at him the way the rest of us did."_

_Noah chuckled. "Yeah, well he was hardly my type."_

" _No-ahhhh." Rachel breathed in the way she might've chided him when they were younger. They laughed._

" _Sometimes I find myself trying to remember him the way everyone else does." He admitted after a few moments of silence. "You know, how Kurt only remembers Finn as the perfect brother. Or how San somehow forgets the fact that the two of them hated each other most of the time."_

" _Noah." Rachel paused. "You remember him as he was. And that's healthier." She paused again. "He wasn't perfect. He was so young and full of potential. But he was still a boy when he died."_

" _Yeah." He breathed against her hair._

Rachel stood beside the large stage in Time's Square and gazed around at the party-goers. She loved New York during the holidays and she was particularly excited about being there for New Year's Eve. Her meager Broadway connections had earned her a spot out of the main crowd but it was Noah's influence that had gotten her into a more comfortable, less-crowded area reserved mainly for B-listers.

She was startled out of her thoughts as a strong arm wound its way around her waist. She looked up and smiled as Noah glanced around the party nervously. "You warm enough?"

Rachel grinned. Only Noah Puckerman would be asking about her temperature before the biggest performance of his life. Upon learning that he was in New York, his manager had quickly set up the gig for the new star.

"Yes, I'm glad you insisted that I bring a warmer jacket." She replied fondly.

She watched in amusement as he rolled his eyes and grunted. "Yeah, well. You were gonna head out into the cold in that little ass dress without a real jacket."

It was Rachel's turn to roll her eyes. "If I remember correctly, you made no actual complaints about the dress itself." She reminded him with a laugh.

Noah glanced down the length of her body in a way that was distinctly Puckish and winked. Rachel joined him in a laugh. The flirting wasn't new. Nothing would ever change that between the two of them. And if she was being honest, if only to herself, it had been nice to see the way Noah's eyes had widened and then darkened as he took in the form-fitting dress and the smooth legs on display. There were few things in the world that really made Rachel Berry tick and only performing had ever made her feel more alive than when Noah Puckerman looked at her like that. She had spent a lot of her time in high school wearing a skirt that she knew he was particularly fond of. Her friend was very reliable for a hell of an ego boost. And sometimes Rachel needed to be reminded that someone found her beautiful.

"How are  _you_ feeling?" She prodded.

She watched as his Adam's apple bobbed dangerously in his throat. She wondered if he'd play it off, but he was always honest with her. "I'm not sure if I want to puke or run."

Rachel watched as he continued to eye the crowd through narrowed eyes. She stepped up onto her toes and brushed her lips across the stubble of his cheek. "This is just the first big stage in a while, Noah. You've done it before." She breathed in his ear and smiled when she felt his body relax. "No, go kick some ass!"

Something bright shone in Noah's hazel eyes as the memory seemed to hit him. He pressed his lips against her forehead and stepped away from her. He knew better than to ask if she'd be okay by herself. Rachel Berry could more than handle it.

Rachel winked at him and watched as he turned and made his way over to the interview box. She huddled closer to one of the portable heaters and watched as Noah began to response animatedly to Ryan Seacrest's questions. His charm was out in full force as the two of them joked back and forth. Suddenly the crowd began to shriek as the ball began to drop. Rachel chanted along with the party-goers and watched as Noah set up on the big stage in front of a piano. The cheers reached a fever pitch just before the countdown ran out and Noah looked up and met her gaze. One of his genuine smiles crossed his lips and Rachel felt a prickling behind her eyes.

An excited hush fell upon Time's Square as people kissed and the noisemakers died out. Noah inhaled deeply and turned towards his piano. The opening notes of 'Auld Lang Syne' rang out through the Square and everyone's attention was on the lone performer. Rachel held her breath as Noah's voice carried beautifully out into the night

" **Should old acquaintance be forgot**

**And never brought to mind?**

**Should old acquaintance be forgot**

**And Auld Lang Syne!"**

Tears welled as Rachel watched one of her dearest friends serenade the crowd and the world. The shining moment was only made greater by the significance of the lyrics. Noah was saying goodbye to the past year. He was paying tribute to his fallen friend and looking into the future.

" **For Auld Lang Syne, my dear**

**For Auld Lang Syne**

**We'll take a cup of kindness yet**

**For Auld Lang Syne."**

Rachel found herself smiling as she listened to Noah. His eyes raised to meet hers across the stage and she could make out the sparkle of unshed tears. His voice held steady despite his clear emotion and she nodded tearfully.

" **We'll take a cup of kindness yet,**

**For Auld Lang Syne."**

The final notes held in the air and then only a moment of silence before the crowd erupted in cheers. His melodic, simple version of the classic song had won him more fans. Rachel watched with pride as Ryan Seacrest introduced Noah Puckerman to the world officially. Rachel cheered louder than any of them.

 


End file.
